Kenny Reisman: What to do next

Ten days ago, I stood in Olympian Hall as the Nordic combined team triumphantly won silver. And as I looked around that room, I was taken by the people with whom I watched. Among the young and the old were leaders of the Let’s Vote group and leaders of the Good For Steamboat group and people who quite possibly didn’t care at all about either group. All of who sat, stood, clapped, cheered and exhaled as these four men who we all take such pride in calling our neighbors chased their, and our collective, dream. And while watching, a funny thing happened — the reception on the TV kept disappearing. A true problem at a momentous spot in our town’s history and yet all that occurred was teamwork and togetherness. No fingers were pointed, no scowls were splashed on faces. People worked to solve the problem, and people relied on each other to solve it for one another.

So as the vote is decided on 700 this week, no matter the outcome, it is time we, the citizens of Steamboat Springs, re-evaluate our relationships and our roles as problem solvers. What can we do, regardless of whether we are a City Council person or a private citizen, to help move this community in a positive direction? How can we support one another, our children, our businesses, our organizations in the times ahead, which, regardless of the outcome of the vote, will have its challenges. The character of this great community will not be altered by the decision on Steamboat 700. The character of our community will be altered by the reaction of the people themselves.

The post-700 vote will set us on a path one way or the other, and with that path, emotions will have to be balanced amid a most uncertain time in our town’s history. We are blessed to live in such a glorious place, but at this time of question, it is not the landscape, but the people who inhabit it, that will guide us past our future obstacles.

I'd say look at the community plans that took some time and care to develop and think about trying to follow that vision or, if things have changed so much to make them irrelevant, then work on updating them. It is much less divisive when following a community plan then making things up meeting by meeting.